Vail Valley Adventures

Welcome to the first weekly blog that reports my adventures throughout the general area of the Vail Valley.  I am recently new to the Vail Valley and have a passion to explore all the beautiful nature around me while also informing anyone planning to visit the Valley or current locals on the incredible activities the Valley has to offer.  Every week I plan on going somewhere remote to experience the Rocky Mountains by participating in the acts of hiking, mountain biking, fishing, rock climbing, kayaking, rafting, tubing, cliff diving, and whatever else I can think of.  During these activities I will be observing the nature around me with my camera to produce breathtaking photos and informative videos if possible.

Last Saturday afternoon, my roommate and I decided to find a remote lake to do some fishing and hiking in the general area, but we didn’t have much of a clue on where to go.  Thanks to Google Earth I found a lot of small lakes in the backcountry area, and we decided on Piney Lake.  The plan was set, now we had to pack. When going on a hike it is important to make sure to dress and pack for the elements of nature.  Deciding what to bring depends on the location and the extent of the journey.  Regardless on details, I like to bring around ten essentials because I’m not always sure what adventures I will get myself into.

• Flashlight
• Pocket Knife
• Compass/map
• A tent (just in case)
• Fishing pole with bait
• Plenty of Water and dry food
• Rain gear
• Water proof matches
• First-aid kit
• Two pairs of hiking shoes

That list is essential when hiking or camping. You might not always use everything, but you will be happy when you need it. When going on longer hikes, it is good to bring more supplies just to be on the safe side. Such as:

• Bug Spray
• Space blanket
• Sunglasses
• Sunscreen
• Toilet paper
• Extra sock
• Extra clothing
• Sleeping bag
• Trash bag
• A hat
• Iodine drops or a water pump

The beginning of our trip was somewhat of a struggle because of taking a slight detour, but we eventually got back on track thanks to an information booth we stumbled upon; a great source if you ever find yourself lost.  Once in Vail you want to take North Frontage Rd. towards Red Sandstone Rd.  This road goes through a neighborhood and soon turns into, literally, a red sandstone road.  Follow the dirt road for about 45 minutes.  If you think you’re going the wrong way you’re probably not just keep going forward and signs will appear to reassure your going the correct way.  This road is a bumpy ride, very enjoyable if you like those types of things, great conditions for dirt bikes.  Once you see Piney Lake Ranch the Lake is directly behind it.  The view from the lake is unreal with what I believe is the Gore Mountain Range in the background.  This area is ideal for astonishing photography opportunities.  The sun was starting to set so our hike wasn’t as long as we planned, actually it was a not so simple walk around the lake because areas around the lake are very marshy and proper footwear should be utilized.  When trying to fish in this lake there are only a few dry spots you can cast from, unless you have waders which I highly recommend if planning to fish at Piney Lake.  A canoe would also be ideal for fishing in this lake.  Unfortunately I didn’t catch anything, but I only fished for an hour because it got dark quick.

The trip back was more eventful than we had planned for. We didn’t get further than 500 feet before we saw a deer run across our path, still inside the ranch vicinity.  When we passed the camp sites a few hundred meters down the road we saw an object in the road so we slowed down; behold beautiful living creatures were staring us down as we stopped when we realized what was in front of our path.  A gigantic mother moose and her calf were gazing towards us in our brights blaring suburban.  As they looked at us we were not too sure on what to do.  I wanted to take a picture of this mind-blowing experience, but I was frightened on the reaction the flash of the camera might cause.  To continue on our path we slowly started going forward. As the mother and her calf started to walk away, we kept our eyes on them as they trotted back into the trees.  The mother moose and her calf were not the only wildlife we encountered on our ride back home.  We stumbled onto a small fox and a herd of deer towards the end of Red Sandstone Rd.

Piney Lake is a great adventure that offers fishing, great hiking trails, nearby camp sites, unbelievable scenery and lots of wildlife.  I would love to go back to Piney Lake sometime this summer to explore more of the area.  Please be properly prepared before venturing into the wilderness for your safety and my piece of mind.  If you are planning on visiting the Vail area make sure to book your trip through Rocky Mountain Vacation Rentals, your friendly, knowledgeable locals.